- Venue
- ASIA HOUSE
- Starts
- Tuesday, March 22, 2022
- Ends
- Monday, March 28, 2022
- Address
- 63 New Cavendish St, London W1G 7LP, England
- Location
- London
- Organiser
- James Vaulkhard
Spanning Singapore, Kenya and the UK, Vaulkhard provides insight into the realities of his own personal suffering channelled throughout a period of both individual and global ambiguity.
A departure from his internationally acclaimed work created for Unit London in 2017, The World Waxed Green offers a raw exploration into existentialism; the uncertainty of life, death and the journey of healing. An unexpected continuation from his 2018/19 show; Weird Scenes Inside the Gold Mine, in which Vaulkhard navigated human identity impacted at the intersection of life and death, The World Waxed Green, is not a follow-up body of work but rather an emotional crescendo that propels Vaulkhard forward into the next chapter of his work.
Each piece from the collection effectively captures the reverence of the viewer; the natural deconstructed landscapes and subsequent fragmented beauty act as emblematic artefacts of the grief and meditative healing present within Vaulkhard’s own life during the pandemic. In discussion as to the importance of the landscape as an artistic medium for expression Vaulkhard states;
“Landscape is a medium I return to again and again. I first started painting landscapes as a young boy in Kenya. Later on, after art school, I produced my first solo show in Nairobi on landscape and now once again. It is where I feel most comfortable painting but I am not afraid to push it and experiment aesthetically. This body of work was a processing of the loss of two family members. When I started this series and found myself unconsciously immersing myself in nature, surrounding myself within it and through painting it has been an important process in healing. After researching the word ‘green’ I came across an extract about Osiris, in which it is said ‘the world waxed green through him’. In (Egyptian) mythology Orisis symbolizes death, rebirth, healing, fertility & metamorphosis which is a major artery in my work.”
Vaulkhard has found inspiration from Frank Bowlings’, Larry Poons’ and Clyford Still’s deconstruction of landscapes, and the vivacity of colour present in their work. Vaulkhard’s classical techniques, honed during his time at Charles Cecil Studios and Studio Della Statua in Florence, have evolved to incorporate modern aesthetics, creating a bold synergy of old and new in turn. Vaulkhards’ demonstrable stylistic prowess continues to be the subject of critical acclaim;
“James’ new body of work puts into perspective the meaning of what nature is, its conceptual aspects and abstractive relevancy. The works remind us of the origin of colour, it’s emotional applicability and its abstracted nature. They have a deep connection to the impressionist and expressionist world, whilst at the same time being highly symbolic, conceptualising the process of grief.” – Curator, MC Llamas
Healing, beauty, grief and personal resolution are all thematically encased within this collection, making viewing a truly cathartic experience. Vaulkhard advocates that catharsis is a necessary asset in the post-pandemic climate in which society now exists, and that this exhibit will resonate and aid our collective acceptance of the past eighteen months, helping us turn the corner into a brighter future.
For press enquiries, interviews or high resolution images please contact: Ryan Lanji.
E: [email protected]
T: 07538413969
